Saturday, 15 September 2012

Make-Up Mission: Find me a Foundation

Foundation is probably the most fundamental make-up product in my make-up bag. The difference a little foundation can make to No.1,how I look and No.2, how I feel, is amazing. Up until last year I had been using the same foundation for as long as I can remember. It was just the perfect shade, perfect coverage and perfect finish. So as you can imagine when I found out that they were discontinuing my shade I was naturally.....devastated! I'm sure many of you who read this have experienced a similar situation where a product you love and have used for years is no longer available. Immediately my quest began to find a suitable alternative, and 15months on I think I might just have found it! I am about to share with you my journey and the 6 foundations I had to try and test until finally finding.....The One!

The Mission:

Obviously everybody is looking for something different in a foundation. So what one girl loves another may loath depending on her skin type, personal preference and desired coverage. I am pretty blessed and have very clear skin, I rarely get spots or blemishes and concealer is an item I don't have to use very often. That said when it comes to picking a foundation I like good complete coverage. People are often apprehensive about full coverage foundations because they think they will look 'caked'. But you can very much control the level of coverage with the amount and way in which you apply the product. So my mission was to find a full coverage foundation in an extremely pale shade. When it comes to foundation I am always the very palest shade on the chart....I am Casper the friendly ghost and as my brother often says 'too white to function'.

The Contenders:

The original foundation I was using was Clinique Repairwear in Shade 01 'Alabaster Breeze'. Although Clinique discontinued this shade the foundation is still available in slightly darker shades. This foundation provides excellent coverage without looking heavy. It also boasts anti-aging properties as well as SPF 15.

So once this foundation was no longer available the assistant at the Clinique counter directed me towards Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus. She sold this to me on the premise that it was basically the same as the foundation I had been using but with lots of improvements. Well....it wasn't. It didn't provide the same coverage, did not last or wear as well throughout the day and I didn't feel that the colour (Shade 01) was as close as the 'Alabaster Breeze' I had previously been using. This foundation seemed to have a sheen to it and left my face feeling 'tacky'.

A little disheartened after my Repairwear Laser Focus experience I had lost faith in Clinique and made a decision to jump ship....or in this case jump counter. I found myself at the Estee Lauder counter and chose 'Double Wear'. This foundation provides good 'stay in place' coverage, SPF 10 and a wide range of shades. Initially I really like this make-up, but as winter came I felt the shade wasn't perfect for my skin. Also to note that this foundation smells quite strongly. It is long lasting and never needed to be reapplied but at times did look a little heavy. Overall it was a solid contender and I did buy a second bottle. But as time went on I just felt Double Wear wasn't the one for me so we eventually parted ways.

I was starting to get a little fed up with expensive foundations that were just all talk. Flashy bottles and fancy counters, pushy sales people and an underwhelming feeling of disappointment two weeks into the bottle. So I headed to my local Boots pharmacy to pick up something a little cheaper. I chose Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour foundation. Given the price I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Needless to say given that there was a fairly limited range of shades I didn't feel the colour match was perfect (Shade 100 Ivory). That said this foundation provided medium coverage, was lightweight and didn't streak. I felt the bottle looked a little cheap but then again it was! In terms of longevity, it just did not last as long as the others and needed to be reapplied. This was a deal breaker for me, I don't carry around my foundation in my handbag and I don't plan on starting to either!

So back to the land of fluroscent lighting, pushy sales people and overpowering perfume I went. This time finding myself browsing in the Lancome counter. After much testing and trying I finally decided on Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H in shade 005. I have to say in terms of colour match this foundation is spot on! The range of shades is impressive and they really do cater for all. The foundation itself is light weight, provides SPF 15 and medium-full coverage (depending on how much you apply). This foundation lasts well throughout the day and looks matte and sits well on my skin. Again like Estee Lauder this foundation smells quite strongly, not unpleasant but just quite perfumed. It does come with a pump, and the bottle itself is really nice. This foundation has earned a permanent place in my make-up bag and I'm very happy with it all in all. My only issue being that in order to get full coverage you do have to use quite a lot of product, and at €35 a bottle, it seems a little expensive.

Last week I went to my local pharmacy to pick up a few things. I was minding my own business, picking up what I needed when suddenly I saw it. It just caught my eye. I knew I didn't need it. I was happy and settled with my Lancome Teint Idole, but I couldn't resist. I edged towards the stand, picked it up and tested the colour on my wrist....perfect colour, lovely consistency and good coverage. Attractive bottle, long lasting formula and complete with pump. I knew it was wrong but I had to buy it, I just had to. And I am not ashamed to say that I haven't looked back! Catrice Infinate Matt Make-Up is the One. It ticks all the boxes, is a perfect colour match in shade '010 light beige'. Costing less than €7 how could I argue? Teint Idole comes out of my bag for nights out and when I'm feeling like I need a change up. But for everyday use I can only say good things about this Catrice foundation. The coverage is medium but can be built up with a little extra product. The pump is excellent and dispenses the perfect amount so as you don't waste a drop. I am truly delighted to have found a foundation that provides a really good finish, good coverage, a perfect colour match and really is long lasting. Although the journey was long and at times frustrating finding this gem made it all worth while!

The Result:

Catrice Infinate Matt Make-Up truly is a high quality product at a ridiculously reasonable price given its performance alongside some of the market's most prestigious and expensive contenders. Catrice Cosmetics are widely available. Check the website for stockists in your country. Stockists in Ireland include McCabes Pharmacies, Dunnes Stores and Penneys.

Pricelist:

1. Clinique Repairwear: €32.50

2. Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus: €35.50

3. Estee Lauder 'Double Wear': €34.00

4. Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour: € 8.85

5. Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H: €35.00

6. Catrice Infinite Matt Make Up: € 6.75

E-D's Notes:

A top tip is don't rush into anything! Especially when buying top end products from expensive make-up counters often the sales people can be pushy and eager to sell. They will convince you the shade is right, that your skin looks flawless and that without their product your life will not be complete! But hold up....remember you are in the fluorescent lights of a department store, you have no idea what the make-up will look like in 3 hours and what will it actually look like when you apply it yourself? ALWAYS ask for a sample....this may sound a little odd but all the top make-up counters will have small sample pots that you can take away and test the product at home. Usually it will only be enough for 1-2 applications. By doing this you will be able to get a much better idea how good the colour match is to your skin, you will see what it looks like after a night out and will see how it sits when you apply it yourself. If you're a little apprehensive and aren't sure about how to ask, just tell the assistant you have hypo-allergenic skin and need to test before you buy!

Application: I always use a foundation brush. There are a variety of foundation brushes available, but I use MAC's 190 foundation brush.

11 comments:

I have fallen in love with Chanel foundation, they have quite a line. I have never tried any other, but maybe once what I have left is done I might :) I agree with your comparison that foundation can make you look like how you feel.

I have never tried Chanel foundation....a little out of my price category but I have heard very good reports about it in the past! It is nice to mix things up sometimes and see what else is out there that could work for you. I really do suggest getting brave and asking for samples from a few different counters. It is the best way to find a foundation that will really work for you!

I couldnt agree more with the ongoing search to replace the original repairwear. I did however find that Clinique does offer a "Gone But Not Forgotten" phone # and I have been ordering from there; however its a hit or miss whether or not they have the color you need at the time. I will look into this Catrice Infinite Matt Make Up....I have never heard of it here in Arizona, but I will go to their website.

I really like the Catrice BB Cream too Magda. I don't think I had found it when I wrote this post, but it's great value, good coverage and is in a squeezy tube which means you can get every last bit out!

Those are good tips. I think I am guilty of sometimes not testing makeup throughly before buying. You are right on all of your points. We really should wear it under different conditions first and see how it really looks after a few hours before buying. Looking at it when an expert applies it is not enough.